I am sure gladiator roguelike RPG We Who Are About To Die’s latest update is very nice, and its accompanying 30% celebratory discount even nicer. You can find the full patch notes here, and I’d be interested to hear how significant they are from the more fascina-pilled among you. They mean nothing to me, however, because We Who Are About To Die has been taunting me from my wishlist since it launched in early access a few years back. Well, no more. Throw me to the lions! Oh, this one has a Steam demo in its mouth. Great stuff.
The first thing that surprised me here was how action-y the combat is. Swordplay is a simplified version of the directional slashy-draggy you’d find in a Chivalry 2 or Kingdom Come Deliverance, and defense has you target your opponent’s weapon with your cursor for more effective blocks. It strikes a good balance between slapstick floppiness and tactical dueling, with a stamina bar keeping you from getting too gung-ho about it all. I immediately get the feeling I’m very bad at it.
I win my starting duel, then I'm thrown into a many-bastard melee in which I bravely hover around the edges, picking out hapless chumps that are already engaged with at least two of my allies so I can chop their legs off. The floppy physics really shines during limb lopping, where injured opponents will ragdoll to the floor in comic shrouds of gore. My favourite thing to do is to clumsily lob rocks at people, which you do by dropping your weapon at the end of an attack animation. About three quarters of the weapons I throw land uselessly at my feet, and I’m having the best time. Wait! This one hit! I’m doing it! I’m the best gladiator!
The actual management of it all, at least early on, is mainly about spending your winnings on better gear. You’ll also be trying to impress various patrons as you fight, which can affect things like payouts and story events between matches. You can also train, heal, and promote yourself for more fame bonuses to unlock better equipment.
Read more on rockpapershotgun.com